History: Also called "Young Beichan," the popularity of this ballad was enhanced by numerous broadside publications in the 19th century. The narrative is also found in the folklore of Spain, Italy, and Scandinavian countries.

Text notes: An exotic tale in which Lord Bateman is imprisoned, usually in a Turkish jail, rescued by the daughter of the jailor. They promise to wed in seven years. She seeks him out after this time but finds he has just married another. But he frees himself in order to marry the jailor's daughter.

Tune notes: Bronson notes that the earliest tunes (dating from the late 18th century) are in duple time while more recent ones are generally in triple metre. This performance tends toward 5/8. Peacock collected two tunes, one in 5/4. Anita Best sings a variant of this tune on her solo album, Cross-handed.